Leaderboard
Popular Content
Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/27/2024 in all areas
-
AI = lower lens prices? Or complete collapse of lens market?
John Matthews and one other reacted to Andrew Reid for a topic
It didn't slow down much, have you seen what generative AI is capable of when you feed it a source image? The progress of that is huge in just 2 years. The processing power of Generative AI is in the cloud, which makes it an app. So it is a very short leap to embed this in the default iPhone camera app or the default Samsung camera. The question is financial... Who pays for the cloud processing and how much.... When do smartphone GPUs reach the advanced threshold required to do this processing on the device rather than it needing a subscription? 2018-2023 is only 5 years of debate, and it saw 1" sensors become mainstream on flagship smartphones, often 100MP+ and a readout architecture fast enough for 6K RAW video, with no crop. They don't need to go to APS-C or even MFT size sensors in smartphones, because Generative AI is here. They don't need triple gain sensors when they have a full sensor readout at 240fps The current multi-shot HDR algorithms work very well. The dynamic range of a years old Huawei is close to a Fuji GFX 100 RAW file. There's been a lot of improvements to the optics too. Sony have a folded variable periscope zoom which is tiny and thin. Apple have a mass-market folded optic, a 135mm equiv. prime lens in an iPhone. Which would have been unthinkable 10 years ago. This is an incredible lens, capable of stunning results. The advancement in cinematic video is also very large in the latest models. The ability to simulate any full frame lens is already possible with software, let alone generative AI. I disagree. If you feed a 1" sensor Xiaomi 12S Ultra image from a few years ago into Adobe Camera Raw and apply the AI optical corrections you basically have the look of full frame and can't tell it apart. The dynamic range is there, the resolution is excellent, the main lens is fast and capable. The telephoto also. But you can shoot raw DNG. This overcomes anything and everything you don't like about the smartphone image processor for taste reasons. The DNGs benefit like the HEIF files do from the multi-sampling, quad bayer, multi-frame HDR and contain a fantastic amount of image data. Even on a relatively modestly priced Pixel 6 from 4 years ago. The more you shoot RAW the more you realise that the hardware is really fucking good, and that the processing built into the low level hardware and sensor output can be as natural as a mirrorless camera. Then once you have the colours to taste, you can then apply AI optics on top in ACR2 points -
Yes, for gyro to work properly you need to be at 90 or 45 degree shutter and then add back the motion blur in post (Resolve can do it well). Another advantage of the gyro is that it reduces rolling-shutter artificats. Main drawback is that there's a crop. If IBIS or gyro are not satisfactory, there's always steadicam, glidecam, or gimbal. I chose glidecam because I don't like having yet another device that requires batteries, and balancing on a glidecam is dead simple. But it's bigger/bulkier than a folding gimbal, and of course you can't adjust focus yourself since both hands need to be used on the glidecam; you'd need a wireless focus puller to work with you if you want to adjust focus. Not an issue for me as I only use wide lenses on the glidecam for maximum depth of field and try to maintain a constant distance from my subject.2 points
-
Considering he was using 180deg shutter angle it’s actually not that bad. Good thing about the gyro stabilisation like this in the BM and the Sony version cameras is that, unlike IBIS, it is non-destructive to the image so you can tweak it later. That’s not only good for the now but it also means if someone does come up with a better method then you can re-process the files and rescue or improve shots. With IBIS, those warps are there for good.2 points
-
AI = lower lens prices? Or complete collapse of lens market?
majoraxis and one other reacted to John Matthews for a topic
Look no further than the music industry. Songs can now be made up on the fly in the style of X musician/group and according to some, they sound good enough. The same is done for stock photography and video. The real question is: will the masses pay for such material in the long term; or, will it be viewed as "it should be free because they stole it anyway"? If the past few years is an indicator, many people are looking for more authentic means to interpret reality: film cameras, adapted lenses, point and shoot digital cameras of old, camcorders from the early 2000s, etc. Also, people are still looking for ways of remembering family events. Sure, a photo can do the job, but I cannot imagine it'll ever really compare to the "authentic" photo or video (even if it's digital), never mind the experience of shooting a photo on a phone versus a real camera. My bet is: if there's not enough buyers for mirrorless and some companies close up shop, the prices for current digital and old stuff will skyrocket, not the opposite. Why? People don't want to interpret reality through AI; they want something more authentic. Stock up while you can!2 points -
I completely agree that AI and computational photography is coming for the middle of the bell curve. I do think there's still a place for companies like Fuji that can capture the nostalgia and "photography as an experience" market. Fuji seems to be one of the few companies that have truly embraced the mirrorless concept you speak of, smaller bodies, smaller lenses, especially the little Fujicrons. Also Fuji is going after the very high end with their medium format stuff. They're leaving the middle of the bell curve, full-frame for others to sort out, if they can. I like their strategy so far.2 points
-
Maybe it depends on how you walk; if you do the steadicam shuffle it's probably okay. I remember John Brawley used he EM1-Mark II on a bumpy snowmobile ride in one of his demo films for the camera and the footage came out quite smoothly.1 point
-
Well I was also ‘waiting’ on it and had already dismissed the Leica SL3, simply on cost. The ‘S2R’ is likely to be the same, or even better and half the price, but that is just speculation on my part. Also considered the GFX100s but the lens options do not exist for me. So Sony A7RV it was. And is. Early days and I didn’t really want to go Sony because…well, the photo snob in me says they have near zero heritage in making photography cameras and whilst that is true, it kept coming back to one single factor and that is who makes the smallest and best 60mp+ camera? The answer is smallest, Sigma FP-L, but so much missing for me, as much as I wanted to, I just could not. But best? The A7RV is just a chunky little compact, class leading, highly capable stills camera with stellar AF. Superb range of compact and affordable lenses that cover all the focal lengths that no other lens manufacturer does (at this size and weight) and relatively OK prices, it just became that ‘no-brainer’ they talk about. With a trio of primes from Tamron; 20-40, 28-75 and 70-180, so far, I have zero criticisms. But yeah Panny, where is that S1R’2’?!1 point
-
i still think a good ibis is a must if going small. the reason i like olympus is because the whole system can be very small, due to the fact that the body, the lens are small, and there is no need for tripod, monopod, or steadicam, etc. on the other hand, even om-1's ibis seems not smooth enough for walking? even so, as long as i can hold om-1 to have steady shots, smooth pans and tilts, i am happy. this is very good for travel, or stealthy news or events.1 point
-
I would have to disagree there. In no scenario would it be prudent to invest in DSLRs. Not when a beginner can get an R7 for prices roughly $1K USD or even lower. Pickup a cheap adapter (or the 0.71x for another $300 used) and now they're pretty much set for the forseeable future.1 point
-
Because the D850 is a tank and just does the business 🦾 Surely used DSLR lenses are much cheaper? I don’t really know and personally I would not go back to DSLR now.1 point
-
A FF box-cam would make a lot of sense as a crash-cam, for drones, or for mounting in odd locations etc. It would have FF, good DR, good low-light, thermal management fans, and potentially the ARRI LogC curve / Prores RAW in it. L-mount primes can be quite compact, and the camera body itself would probably be smaller than the GH7 as well!1 point
-
All the more reasons why anybody starting out in photography today should skip over the current gen mirrorless, and just get a solid DSLR such as a Canon 6D or Nikon D750 for a few hundred dollars plus a few bargain priced DSLR lenses. For photo, 100% The Nikon D850 is arguably the finest wedding photographers camera, ever made. Mirrorless is of course, just ‘sexier’ to the kids…1 point
-
I think they did. As a semi-disruptive startup company, RED didn't manage to dominate their market so instead they've sold out while there's still some value in the company.1 point
-
Here you have an example of it :- )1 point
-
You are the happy mate on the right? Happy aura is always a big welcome. No slomo though and no walking shots from the back. I'd say 3min super wide angle super hero micro flick will do:)1 point
-
1 point
-
AI = lower lens prices? Or complete collapse of lens market?
Ninpo33 reacted to Andrew Reid for a topic
For that app you still need a smartphone though don’t you?1 point -
Joking aside, it will get really interesting if (and when) Pana introduces an ARRI-certified LUT in the next S1II or S2.1 point
-
1 point
-
Just fired up my GH5 and it has 3328x2496 at 59.94p, so I'd be surprised if the GH5ii, GH5S, GH6 and GH7 didn't have at least one >30p mode in open gate..1 point
-
Guys, stop telling other guys to quit doing jokes, which they could get sued for by the two Ebrahims. Getting sued by the two Ebrahims is an opportunity of a lifetime two witness them live for first time ever!1 point
-
I didn't mention anything or anyone here. I was merely reminiscing about a very eminent grandfather-grandson filmmaker duo, who are also famous polymaths and who haven't apparently gotten their due. Has it become a crime to remember great filmmakers?1 point
-
Why does it appear that the great Ebrahim Saadawi is among us ... 🤣🤣🤣1 point
-
I would have the box/brain with some assignable function buttons and then more fine/direct controls on the optional handle. On Hassemblad the handle is completely separate from the body. I imagine a control handle which becomes part of the body itself. P.S. In my design team I would add a Lego engineer 😉1 point
-
How you design a $2000 FF hybrid camera?
Ninpo33 reacted to Andrew Reid for a topic
I would target it it primarily at photographers, to get the sales going strong and wait for video people to catch on! Get the basics right... PDAF, IBIS, ND, colour, codec. Put the ND in a nice EF adapter with a clear setting, if it costs too much to put it in the camera body. Make sure it does Cinema DNG raw in 2.8K 10bit for fun (SD card) Make the LOG profile as easy to grade as C-LOG. Put a larger than 3" screen on the back, and make it 16:9 Built the body out of silver alloy, so it shines, with a wooden grip. Don't bother with the black anodising or whatever. That should separate it from the crowd!!1 point -
Panasonic S1R arrived. Impressed! Some 5K tests
zlfan reacted to Andrew Reid for a topic
S1R is like a different camera to when it came out. Here's what I like so far. The 10bit 5K does indeed have enormous mojo. Almost worth not bothering with full frame for! For anamorphic shooting it is seriously nice as it is 4:3. For normal shooting, a nice easy crop in post to whatever aspect ratio you like. It is crisp as heck. Colour is stunning. Particularly in the Neutral profile, it reminds me of the similar 5K mode on the similar Leica SL2 for 5 grand! Low light is far better than expected. Dual gain sensor. ISO 12,800 perfectly usable. ISO 3200 and 6400 very clean. I have included some sample clips shot in full frame 4K 8bit and 5K 10bit at 12,800 and 6400. https://we.tl/t-baorfLanyd Quick toggle between 4K FF / 5K S35. It can be assigned to a button, which you can press to instantly go between 8bit MP4 mode (full frame) and 10bit MOV mode (S35). Very handy for that second tighter framing in 5K or to go from 4K/60p to 5K/24p and so on. Colour science. I really like it. I put it at top. Canon move over. CFExpress slot. Was XQD. With new firmware now it is CFExpress and takes same fast card as my EOS R5 does. IBIS - seems to have the best performing IBIS I've yet seen although was to be expected coming from S1. AF in stills mode (with L-mount lenses) - it is MASSIVE improvement on S1 and earlier firmwares. Not just fast but reliable too now. In video mode yet to try it but not expecting it to be as good for movies EVF - it is larger than EOS R5 to my eye, just all round better. Back screen - Never felt so confident manually focusing without punching in or activating peaking! 65:24 mode and L.Monochrome mode = XPAN style 9K stills shooting 🙂 All in all, I think it is more unique than S1 and a total bargain for £1500. The S1 doesn't have the 5K, isn't as good in S35, cannot do full frame 4K/60p and doesn't have a pixel-to-pixel crop mode for Super 16mm c-mount lenses. On the stills side the S1R has a superior sensor, much higher resolution and better AF. The only thing I might miss is V-LOG but the S1R's Flat profile seems to have very good DR for my needs and is much easier to grade. There is also CineLikeD and Hybrid LOG Gamma. The S1R is two steps... an E-Mount and Good AF away... from being 99% of people's go to mirrorless camera. E-mount there is no denying is just far more established and AF too important to compromise on for most people's needs. But for me, in that beautiful 5K mode with a bunch of manual lenses, it is perfect and different to a whole host of identikit camera bodies. (S1 will be on eBay tomorrow if anyone wants it!) It is also a Leica SL2 killer! FOOTNOTE: I am rocking the Fotidiox Leica Killing adapter with built in variable ND. It is EF mount so quite versatile. Takes M42 stuff and Contax Zeiss for instance. The electronic side works as well although you can pretty much forget about reliable AF! And before you say "but whattabout R5" that doesn't do 5K S35 anamorphic or Super 16mm crop and costs rather a lot more!1 point -
Panasonic S1R arrived. Impressed! Some 5K tests
zlfan reacted to Andrew Reid for a topic
Yes HLG works in 5K 10bit. HLG needs 10bit. So it doesn't work in the 8bit 4K modes. Bit rate is 200Mbit in H.265, so rather good. That compares to just 75Mbit on the OM-1 in 10bit. 200mbit is a good sweet spot for me as 400Mbit I find to be a bit on the large side in terms of file sizes. I have configured the lever on the front of the camera to switch between Rec.709 and HLG. Which is quite fun. The way it works is whenever I need extra DR in 5K I just flick that lever. Boom. And when you don't feel you need it and can't be arsed to grade the HLG, flick it back again and your originally selected picture profile is re-enabled automatically. Meanwhile on a button near the shutter release I have made it a one tap to go between full frame 4K 60fps and S35 5K 10bit. So all these unusual options triggered within a second during the action, rather than diving into menus for them. The only thing that takes a bit of menu diving is the Super 16mm pixel-pixel crop mode. As for rationale for selling S1... Which is a very good tool... Well with S1R I was wanting something a bit different. My S1 has been great but I mainly see it as a full frame 10bit 4K/24p camera or the 6K mode which gives you rather similar end result, and so it doesn't have the same variety of creative purposes. The S1R has the resolution to do that unusual 4:3 5K mode and Super 16mm crop 4K. I also like that it is 4K/60fps full frame and would take 60fps over 10bit creatively speaking. The other thing with the S1 is that now the EOS R5 is working more reliably and I have the Sony A7 IV, my full frame 10bit 4K needs are covered - with the Sony handling 60fps and the R5 120fps whereas S1 maxes out at 30fps. Also on the stills side I prefer the sensor of the S1R to the S1, it has more mojo and a lot more resolution. Undoubtedly the S1 in V-LOG has better dynamic range though but I am not a dynamic range fetish person. I like to see a strong contrast in my end result and shoot in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get fashion. This way I get to experiment in the moment. Does a bright area look better if you let it bloom outward, or should you box it in, preserve the detail there, and darken the other areas of the shot? I find it is always more fun to make that decision during the shoot rather than in an endless post production nightmare divorced from what you felt during the actual shoot, which also has other impact of distracting you from editing! With S1R I feel like I have the best camera for manual focus glass, along with the Fp-L. With Sony E-mount and Canon R5 I feel those have all the AF lenses covered. They are not as much fun to use as the S1R though. The Fp-L also has that uniqueness about it, which more formulaic and generic mainstream cameras lack. The Cinema DNG feature, the extensive 4K crop modes, the tiny form factor, articulated tilt-EVF and external SSD support. There is no point me duplicating over and over again other high-end do it all cameras like the R5. I need creative features and different mojos! Undoubtably though, if you just want full frame 10bit that new 6K mode on the S1 with V-LOG is a total bargain for what it sells for used.1 point